DC Dad awaiting sentencing

[ChangedforObviousReasons2024]

Hoping somebody can help...
Ex is awaiting sentencing this month for violent & sexual offences.
In England.
Is there anywhere I can find out exactly what he has been found guilty of?
I want specifics to support decision making around future access to DC & likely legal position on this.

Could you use Claine's law forcthis?

Hi,

How do you know he's awaiting sentencing? I ask because I'm wondering if that's the same route you might find out about the sentence etc. and, does he have contact / want contact with your child?

But, more broadly, if it is violent and / or sexual offences then you may have a right to disclosure under certain laws (eg Clare's Law) from police. (You would contact police directly re this).

If it doesn't fall in that category, then if/when he wants contact then speak to children's social care before agreeing to anything and advising you know there is an offence, you dont know the details (other than V or S offence) and need detail / support to help decision making.

I'm not legally trained though, so this is from previous experiences working with children and families.

Is he the father of the children?

If authorities are aware of this, your children would have spread been subject to a multi agency strategy meeting and a social care assessment - as a minimum.

You should also have a right to know the outcome, if he is their father. Ask the police.

He is the father of DC..He has told me (but not the whole truth) himself as wants to see DC before sentencing.
The offences are not against me & are against an adult.
Surely I would have to be informed if there was a multi-agency meeting about my children?

I believe they only declare to current partner under Claire's Law?

Can you not attend his sentencing hearing? I think you ring the relevant court to find out the time and date of this.

Do the authorities know he is the father of your children?

I would suggest you talk to someone about thus - GP, HV, school, social care, police. Tell them that the child's father is facing jail time for sexual offences. Its likely that any choices will be taken out of your hands.

I recently had to call the police on my ex partner who was making threats to me. We haven’t been together almost a year. The police asked if I wanted to do Claire’s Law on him so you must be able to do it for previous partners? Especially in your situation! I hope you manage to find out x

If you know what court he is appearing at - most courts publish sentencing results

Do you mean that they may stop access (which would be my preference)?

The courts will publish on the day of sentencing. Exact charges and sentences.

But beforehand I'm not sure. Local newspaper sometimes report convictions.

Do you have social service singles already? I'd give them a call to get the ball rolling.

I guess you're not sure that he will get a custodial sentence either, these days. So SS will help.

So I know the court & date for sentencing.
Never had any contact with SS, just thinking of stopping the already very sporadic contact.
He is looking at 5yrs apparently, but with the overpopulated prisons who knows?

5 yrs means he'll serve 2.5. I guess he wants to see the kids before he goes, so I would call SS asap for advice and then have their help to prepare for when he comes outt

How old are the kids?

Yes he does; they are 7 and 9.
I think him seeing them would be for his benefit, not theirs (saw them 4 x last year). What will SS do? I've never had any involvement with them, so a little terrified of contacting them if I'm honest!

Don't be worried about SS - you've done nothing wrong!
They will help you gain information. You can also usually attend court, or apply for the transcript from the hearing if you want to know the details.

You know the crime is sexual and violent, and against an adult and he is looking at 5 years.. so rape and ABH?
I don't know how you can find out for sure but I think social services would suggest safeguarding your children and cutting contact.
The police may be more helpful with trying to get more details.. maybe doing a Claire's law search.
Awful situation to find yourself in, at least your DC have you, you sound like a very caring mum, good luck.

Are you able to go to the court on the day of his case? You should then be in a position to find out. Or could a relative go for you? I certainly wouldn’t be happy for him having unsupervised contact with the children.

I think it depends on the victim choosing to have an open or closed court?

Don't be worried about contacting children's services - they are there to help protect your children.
Give them a ring, or send an email, saying exactly what you've said here, and ask them to help. They will do police checks, and let you know the information you need to make good safe decisions.

Thankyou everyone for the support- I will contact them.
Court is not local to me so am trying to see if someone can attend. All evidence by victim has been conducted under Section 28, so I dont know if that means a closed court..

Social services can ban him from ever having them stay overnight at his home, or they can ban him from contact, or mandate that it takes place in a contact centre. They can do quite a lot to safeguard your children from a sexual offender.

Make contact with police, ask for a.disclosure from the MOSOVO team (Jigsaw in London), if he is convicted of sexual offences he will also automatically be a MAPPA nominal. I would also make contact with children's social care, explain the situation and say you are worried he will want contact with your children and you want support to safeguard them.
Once convicted you can also make contact with his probation officer who may be able to make a disclosure with MAPPA authority, if not they can make the appropriate referrals.

Police are the ones to request sec offender registration and sexual harm prevention orders, not social care, these are issued by a court.

Speak to the police and/or social services, if you have a SW.

Criminal court proceedings are public (there’s no open/closed court or victim discretion). So you or a family member/friend could go, but that would be too late for the purposes you need.

Courts don’t routinely publish sentence results in public, however police sometimes publish outcomes on their social media - it’s certainly not all, and a bit hit and miss. Same with local news outlets.

For now, your best thing would be to call the police - either 101 or if you know the officer dealing with it, speak to them directly, and ask for the information. If he’s awaiting sentence, he has either been found or pleaded guilty to the offences so they are a matter of public record, even if they haven’t been made public.

Criminal court proceedings are public (there’s no open/closed court or victim discretion). So you or a family member/friend could go, but that would be too late for the purposes you need.

@PiggieWig
I am due to attend court as a victim and I have been asked if I want an open or closed court, I have chosen closed because I do not want the public or anyone who might be supportive of the offender in court. I have been told that even with a closed court the media can attend and name him in the press.. I am entitled to life long anonymity.. this is in London, I should imagine it's the same across the country?